Governor condemns burning of Redeemed Church in Kontagora

Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago has described Saturday’s looting and burning down of a church in his state as a “mindless and cowardly act.”

The Redeemed Christian Church of God (Champion Zonal Headquarters) located along the Federal College of Education (FCE) Road in Kontagora was looted and set afire in the early hours of Saturday.

The church was reported to have suffered a similar fate 10 years after unidentified hoodlums reportedly warned that its building should not be completed.

The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state, Bulus Yohanna, immediately condemned the latest incident.

Describing it as barbaric and uncalled for, Mr Yohanna said the government needs to take proper action and ensure the culprits are brought to book.

“There is freedom of worship in Niger state. I am sure by the time the government and security agencies take action, it will go a long way to address any tension that may want to escalate beyond control,” he said in a statement from Minna, the state capital.

“We are hoping that the law will take its course. Issues like this must be tamed, and people who have done this should be fished out and made to face the law.”

How it happened

An assistant pastor in the church, Samson Ogbebor, said the incident occurred around 3 a.m. on Saturday.

“I got a distress call that our church was on fire, and on getting there, I met a church that has been in existence for the past 20 years being burnt down and properties looted by hoodlums.

“This church has faced lots of challenges. Sometimes, about 10 years ago, hoodlums burned it down completely, but with self-effort, we could erect it again.

“They made several unsuccessful attempts and have refused us permission to roof it properly, and we decided to use it like that for worship, but look at what they have done today again.”

An elder in the church, John Aboje, said the incident would not deter members and would continue to be good Christians and citizens of the country.

“We just want the government and the emirate to look into this very issue to allow freedom of worship,” Mr Above said.

In his reaction, the coordinator of CAN in Kontagora, Musa Gado, said he was happy that the association did not support the #EndBadGovernance protest in the state, adding, “By now, we would have been counting our losses because these hoodlums would have seized the opportunity to cause havoc on innocent lives and properties.”

He encouraged the parishioners and all Christians to remain calm and peaceful and seek God’s face as they continued their worship.

Governor vows retribution

Meanwhile, Governor Bago said the barbaric act of the hoodlums was not only an attack on the Christian community but also a direct insult to the peace and unity of Niger State.

“We condemn this act and tell our Christian brothers and sisters, as well as other Niger State inhabitants, that the government prioritises their safety, security, and freedom of religion,” Mr Bago said in a statement on Sunday.

“Our state utilises its diversity and the peaceful coexistence of all religious and ethnic groups. We will not condone this stupid act of violence.”

The governor urged the security agencies to conduct an immediate and complete inquiry into the incident.

“We are convinced that the perpetrators of this horrible incident will be quickly discovered and prosecuted,” the governor said.

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He said his administration would ensure that those involved are punished to the fullest extent of the law.

“We urge the people of Kontagora and Niger State to be calm and refrain from revenge or violence,” he said.

Governor Bago advised the people to continue to collaborate and coexist in order to preserve peace and togetherness in Nigeria.

He said the government would take necessary precautions to protect all houses of worship and to prevent a reoccurrence of the Kontagora incident.

The governor urged citizens to be watchful and report suspicious activity to the authorities.

He said, “Together, we can avoid further occurrences of such heinous atrocities and maintain the tranquillity that we all seek.”

“We support the members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and the broader Christian community during this terrible time,” the governor said.